The fight for Catholicism is on in Poland

The fight for Catholicism is on in Poland

In 2010, the largest Jesus statue in the world was erected in a cabbage field opposite a supermarket in western Poland. The 108-foot-high “Christ the King” statue is a clear testament to Polish piety.

And it symbolically guards this oft-conquered country from its latest intruder: secularism.

It might seem that setting up a bulwark against secularism is a bit premature: Surveys of religious attitudes in Poland show that just a small percentage of Poles have been moving away from the Church since Pope John Paul’s death in 2005. But the numbers are growing.

Ula Sawicka and her boyfriend, Piotrek, are both 24-years-old, born just as Poland was emerging from four decades of Communist rule. In between Ula’s shifts as a hostess at a trendy bar in Warsaw’s Old Town, the two eagerly discussed their views on religion and politics in Poland.

“So there’s, for example, abortion, or in vitro (fertilization), something what is really hot topic in Poland. So for me it's, like, people's choice,” Sawicka said. “And maybe it's not right with the Catholic thinking, yeah? But I'm more modern Catholic person.”

Janusz Palikot believes the young generation would like be free of religion.

If you must have a statue ,how about one of a REAL person who has done good in the world.The world is sinking under the weight of saints and holy virgins and what not.( I know, some scholars say Jesus existed,some say not)

Poland remains a kind of Vatican colony. Look at what moral people there are up against:

WARSAW, POLAND — When Ewa Orlowska, a mother of nine, decided to confront her local priest for sexually abusing her as a child, she had little idea what was to follow. The priest, Msgr. Michal Moskwa, had been the parish pastor for three decades in the southern town of Tylawa, and Ewa had been just one of his victims. But when she’d told her mother about the abuse, her mother beat her and ordered her to apologize.
Orlowska, now in her late 40s, hasn’t returned to Tylawa in seven years. Local parishioners, encouraged by clergy, turned violently against her; her own parents disowned her after the priest visited them.

Moskwa was convicted in 2004 and given a two-year suspended jail sentence and an eight-year ban from teaching children. He ignored the teaching ban, suffered no canonical sanctions, and his ordinary, Archbishop Jozef Michalik of Przemysl, returned him to his parish.

The judge reprimanded Michalik, who is president of Poland’s bishops’ conference, for ignoring repeated requests to deal with Moskwa “in the way required by Christian morality.” On the contrary, Michalik assured the convicted pedophile of his “sympathy” in an open letter, protesting the affront “to the good name of our priests.” National Catholic Reporter

I hope the best for Poland, a nation that owns many proud moments in history, but with a statement like the following, I am fearful of what atrocities will never see the light of day there:

Poland’s bishops have their own “competence and experience” on sexual molestation, the archbishop said, so they do not need a commission to examine abuse cases like the one the bishops established in neighboring Germany.

Poland remains a kind of Vatican colony.
I hope the best for Poland, a nation that owns many proud moments in history, but with a statement like the following, I am fearful of what atrocities will never see the light of day there:

Poland’s bishops have their own “competence and experience” on sexual molestation, the archbishop said, so they do not need a commission to examine abuse cases like the one the bishops established in neighboring Germany.
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On the bright side the article does goes on to say:

“Janusz Palikot believes the young generation would like be free of religion. Palikot heads up the political party that bears his name.

Two years ago, the Palikot Party became the country’s only explicitly secular faction. Its platform includes such controversial measures as legalizing abortion and marijuana, ending religious education in public schools and cutting off state funding for Catholic Churches.

And the party boasts Poland’s first transgendered parliamentarian.

“I think in next 10 years, the situation in Poland will be absolutely as in Spain or Italy. They were also very Catholic countries 20, 25 years ago. The same will happen in Poland, I hope. And the future is with me,” Palikot said.

I think he’s right. This 2 minute video
interview is worth watching just for Palikot’s smug grin at the end.

When I first went to Spain there were many wagons drawn by donkeys and horses, many peasants in the fields, and General Franco + the RCC in charge. When I last went to Spain I hardly saw a horse or peasant in a field and Jerez Cathedral had a very neglected look, with vegetation growing on parts of its roof. Hell, in England we look after our cathedrals ! Not too many Christians here, but plenty of tourists!

As the article says, Poland will probably go the same way. I think that’s right.

Vatican bank in rare dealings disclosure

Dogged by decades of scandals and recent money laundering allegations, bank releases first report in 125-year history.

The Vatican bank, dogged for decades by scandals and opaque dealings, has published the first annual report in its 125-year history.

The report covered 2012, a tumultuous year that saw the bank’s former president ousted in a boardroom battle and leaks of documents on internal disagreements on how it should be run.

Bank President Ernst Von Freyberg, who started his job this year, said the 100-page report released on Tuesday was an attempt to meet the commitment to transparency that Catholics around the world “rightfully expect”.

A five-member committee appointed by Pope Francis, who has promised to clean up the Vatican’s financial image, is also preparing a report on how to reform the bank, officially known as the Institute for Works of Religion (IOR).

The IOR said that in 2012 it had a net profit of $117m, more than four times greater than the $27m profit in 2011.

The report, whose figures were audited by KPMG, said the huge increase in net profit was mainly due to favourable trading results and higher bond values.

It said $74m of the profit was transferred to the budget of the Holy See to help the pope carry out the Church’s mission around the world.

The bank’s stated aim is to hold and manage money for Vatican departments, orders of priests and nuns, Catholic institutions and related entities, clergy and Vatican employees.

Decades of scandals

The institution, however, has been enmeshed in scandals in the past three decades, most notably in 1982 when it was caught up in the fraudulent bankruptcy of Italy’s Banco Ambrosiano, whose president Roberto Calvi was found hanged under a bridge in London.

More recently, it has been caught up in an investigation by Italian magistrates into money laundering, which the bank denies, and the arrest of a Vatican prelate who has been charged with money smuggling.

Pope Francis has not excluded the possibility of closing down the IOR but most likely it will soon see extensive reform.

The numbers aside, the report was dotted with words that made clear 2013 could be a crucial year for the bank, which traces its origins to 1887 and has been in its current form since 1942.

Obviously they have solved world poverty and have money to spare which is not needed for the charitable work (allegedly) recommended by their saviour?

Don’t quote me! – I’ll have to check the figures on that!

I see as a novelty, some figures are now available, b…Vatican bank in rare dealings disclosure
Dogged by decades of scandals and recent money laundering allegations, bank releases first report in 125-year history.